BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 250
CURRENT ADP: ~280 overall
ANALYSIS: Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Dylan Bundy took a bit of a step forward in 2017 with a 13-9 record and 4.24 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, priming him for a potential breakout in 2018. We know how that turned out, as what followed was a 16-loss season with a 5.45 ERA and 41 home runs allowed for a faltering Orioles team that lost 107 games. Still only 26, can Bundy bounce back from a poor season, put his injuries in the past, and be an effective starting pitcher this coming season?
The 2018 season was mostly a lost one for Bundy, but fantasy owners need to remember that, in the first five starts of the season, he had allowed just 35 base runners in 31 2/3 innings and had struck out 40 batters. Bundy also had 184 strikeouts in 171 2/3 innings last season, posting 14 starts where he struck out at least seven batters. No one will sign up for 188 hits allowed or the fact that he allowed seven earned runs in three consecutive August starts, but at least Bundy looks like he has fulfilled his strikeout potential.
The biggest issue with Bundy in 2019 is that the Orioles do not have a lot going for them. This will likely suppress any value that Bundy has leading into the draft, but also may cause him to go undrafted. If that is the case, he may be a strong sleeper candidate, considering his huge strikeout potential. At a minimum, it is good to keep Bundy on your mind as a streamer in the early part of the season, but don't be shocked if he winds up as a good stash at the end of the draft.
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